


Family is a Gift That Lasts Forever

by JetGirl1832, tomatopudding



Series: The Hamilton Family Album [3]
Category: 18th & 19th Century CE RPF, Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Fluff, Foster kids, Gen, Kid Fic, Nightmares, Schuyler Family, schuyler sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 18:14:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5675728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetGirl1832/pseuds/JetGirl1832, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomatopudding/pseuds/tomatopudding
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.- Unknown</p><p>Catherine and Philip Schuyler wan nothing more than to have a family of their own. After years of trying on their own and opportunity arises and they take three young girls into their home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family is a Gift That Lasts Forever

**Author's Note:**

> Because it was only a matter of time before the two of us got involved in this...

1972

Catherine Schuyler flipped through the magazine that she had on the coffee table and smiled. For once this big old house wouldn't feel quite so empty, she was glad that she and Philip had decided to foster these girls.

"Are you ready?" Philip Schuyler sat on the couch beside has wife.

Catherine nodded her head, "I hope they like it here."

"I'm sure they will," Philip smiled.

Catherine sighed, they had just completed the final steps of becoming foster parents. Meeting the placement coordinator had been the last thing to do before the girls arrived... Which was to be today.

For years Catherine and Philip had tried to have children of their own but every time it never worked. After her miscarriage a little over a year ago it was then that they decided fostering seemed like a good idea.

The doorbell rang and Catherine was overcome with a wave of emotions, "They're here," she spoke softly.

Philip took her hand and they walked to the front door, he inhaled deeply before opening it. There was a woman standing there with a severe look on her face. She was accompanied by three young girls.

"Mr. and Mrs. Schuyler?"

"That's us," Philip nodded.

"Please, do come in," Catherine invited, walking up behind her husband. She smiled at the girls. Two of them were holding hands and the third was gripping the bottom edge of the woman's blazer.

The woman and the girls walked in as she started talking, "I'm Holly Prince, I'm the girls case worker."

"It's very nice to meet you," Catherine shook her hand.

"Girls?" Ms. Prince looked at them, "aren't you going to say hello?"

The girls just stood their quietly and Ms. Prince sighed, "I'm sure they'll warm up soon enough."

"It's alright," Philip told the girls with a smile, "You don't need to talk if you don't want to."

"Why don't you come through to the living room," suggested Catherine, "I've just finished baking some cookies. Would you like a cup of coffee, Ms. Prince?"

"That would be lovely, Mrs. Schuyler," Ms. Prince said, ushering the girls into the house and following Philip to the living room.

"Would you girls like some milk with your cookies? Or maybe hot chocolate?" offered Catherine.

One of the girls, the one in the pale pink dress, tapped on Ms. Prince's arm, whispering in her ear when the women leaned over to her.

"Why don't you tell her yourself, Angelica," urged Ms. Prince. Angelica glanced at Philip then shook her head. Ms. Prince sighed, "Hot chocolate for the girls, Mrs. Schuyler.”

Catherine smiled, nodded and went to get hot chocolate for them.

Philip then squatted down in front of them, "Hello, I'm Philip what are your names?"

The little girl who had been holding Angelica's hand glanced at the older girl before looking back at Philip, "I'm Eliza," she spoke very quietly.

"It's very nice to meet you Eliza," Philip said, "And Angelica, of course. What about you, sweetheart?"

The youngest girl refused to speak, huddling close to Ms. Price's said where they sat on the sofa.

"She's Peggy," Angelica piped up, her voice slightly louder than Eliza's had been, but still obviously nervous.

"Well I'm very glad to meet you Peggy," Philip grinned.

It was then that Catherine returned with a plate of cookies, "The hot chocolate will just take a little longer, would you girls like some whipped cream on it?"

The looks on all three of their faces brightened.

"And sprinkles?" Peggy asked.

"Sure," Catherine laughed, "chocolate or rainbow?"

"Both!" Peggy declared excitedly.

Catherine laughed, "How would you like your coffee, Ms. Price?"

"No milk, two sugars," the other woman responded, her stern look finally breaking into a small smile as Peggy's speaking seemed to break the dam and all three girls were trying to talk to Philip at once.

"Can I share a room with Annie?" Eliza asked, "Only, I get scary dreams and she makes it better."

Angelica beamed proudly, "I want to share with Liza too."

"And me!" Peggy put in, "And I want a yellow blanket 'cause yellow's my favorite color."

"No, I want a blue one!" Eliza pouted, "with green polka dots."

"I don't like green," Angelica told her.

"I do," insisted Eliza.

"Okay, okay, how about this," Philip put in, "You can each have your own color blanket."

Eliza went and hugged Philip, he returned the embrace.

"Alright here we are," Catherine brought in the cups containing hot chocolate and a mug with coffee for Ms. Prince.

The girls all went to grab a mug with hot chocolate, Catherine bit at her lip she could feel tears brimming in her eyes, she was so happy.

Catherine hastily brushed a tear away, "Is there anything else?"

Ms. Prince shook her head, "Everything is in order, we'll just get the girls things from the car."

"I'll help you," Philip offered, "Why don't you get to know the girls a bit, dearest."

"I would like nothing more," Catherine said, sitting on the sofa across from the one the girls were piled on.

"Hello girls I'm Catherine," Catherine began.

"How long are we staying?" Angelica asked.

"Can we really have our own blankets?" asked Peggy. She seemed really invested in blankets at the moment.

"Of course sweetie," Catherine nodded her head, "this is your home too."

Eliza smiled, "I like it here."

"I'm glad to hear it," Catherine smiled.

Philip came back in with with Ms. Prince carrying the girls things, "Alright who wants to see their new room?"

"Me!" Peggy jumped up.

Eliza and Angelica followed the younger girl and Philip as he took them to their room.

Philip opened the door and girls excitedly entered what was to be their room. There were three beds two on one wall and on on the opposite.

"This one is mine!" Peggy ran to one of the beds.

"Well girls what do you think?"

"It's huge!" Angelica said with awe, looking around the space, "Your house is so big."

"Why's your house so big, Mr. Schuyler?" asked Eliza, picking a bed for herself and bouncing slightly on the bare mattress.

"This house has belonged to my family for a very long time," Philip explained, "one of my ancestors built it almost three hundred years ago."

The girls looked at him in awe.

"Wow," Angelica spoke up.

"Mrs. Schuyler and I inherited it from my grandmother a few years back," Philip added.

"Do you have a butler?" Peggy asked, "And a maid and stuff?"

"Like a princess!" Eliza added with a bright smile.

"Well once a week Rosalie and a few others come to clean," Philip explained, "but I'm afraid we don't have a butler."

"Which doesn't mean that you can't be a princess," Catherine added as she entered with her arms full of bedding

"I want to be a knight," Angelica informed.

"I wanna be the dragon!" added Peggy, before giving a small roar.

"Whatever you want to be," laughed Catherine, "It's a little late to go shopping right now, so you girls will have to make do with the boring sheets tonight."

"Awww..." Peggy pouted.

"But we can go tomorrow," Catherine added, "and you'll be able to pick out exactly what you want."

Peggy, mollified, nodded happily.

The girls then proceeded to help Philip and Catherine make their beds. Which did not take long before it dissolved into a pillow fight much to the Schuyler's amusement.

"Alright, alright," laughed Philip, sprawled on Angelica's bed with all three girls standing around him giggling.

Peggy had already raised her pillow and now let it fall on Philip's chest.

"How does pizza sound?" asked Catherine, smiling at the sight. Philip looked so content, surrounded by those three girls. It made her heart soar.

"Pizza!" came the excited exclamation.

After dinner Catherine and Philip helped the girls ready for bed.

"Can you tell us a story?" Eliza asked.

"What kind of story do you want?" asked Catherine.

"I know!"

Following her announcement, Angelica leapt out of bed and ran to the small backpack Ms. Price had left with her. She removed a book and handed it to Catherine before running back into bed. Catherine looked down at the paperback in her hands, _A Wrinkle in Time_.

"We were on chapter three," Angelica told Catherine.

Catherine flipped to the aforementioned chapter and sat herself on Angelica's bed and cleared her throat.

Peggy climbed onto Eliza's bed and the two of them sat by Philip as Catherine began to read aloud.

While they started off enthralled in the story it didn't take long for them to drift off to sleep.

Philip began to tuck Eliza into bed and then picked up Peggy and carried her over to her own bed and tucking her in. Once done he quietly walked over to the door and he and Catherine looked at the sleeping girls.

Philip kissed her softly and she smiled, "I can't believe this is all real," she whispered.

"Me neither," Philip murmured, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

He flicked off the light and gently closed the door behind them.

\----------

It was late and Philip wasn't sure just how late it was when he heard a quiet knock at the door. Then a few seconds later he heard it again. Philip got out of bed and opened the door to see Angelica standing there a worried look on her face.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" Philip asked with a yawn.

"It's Liza," Angelica frowned.

"What about her?"

"She's having a bad dream," the girl continued, obviously trying to stay strong, but her lower lip was trembling, "Usually I can help her or wake her up, but she's not waking up I don't know what to do!"

"It's okay," Philip replied although he wasn't sure what he was going to do either. He accompanied Angelica back to her room and flipped on the light.

Eliza was tossing and turning in the bed, the blankets twisted around her small body as she whimpered. Her brow was furrowed and her lips were twisted into a frown. A quick look confirmed that Peggy was still soundly asleep. As Philip sat beside Eliza, her whimpering grew louder, nearly becoming soft sobs.

"Eliza, honey..." Philip spoke quietly, he wished that right now he had a better idea as to what to do to help her.

Eliza continued to stir restlessly.

"She likes singing," Angelica offered, back on her bed huddled under the blanket.

Softly, Philip began to sing, a lullaby that his mother had sung to him when he had been a child.

Eliza seemed to calm down as Philip continued to sing, the worried look on Angelica's face melting away.

Eliza's features smoothed, her whimpering reduced to silence. Philip stroked her damp hair away from her forehead and Eliza leaned into the touch.

"Thank you," Angelica muttered.

"It was good of you to get me," Philip smiled at her.

He straightened Eliza's blanket, pulling them back over her, and walked over to Angelica. Slowly, so as to give her the option to pull away, Philip leaned over and kissed Angelica's forehead softly.

"Sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

**Author's Note:**

> The girls are based on Philippa Soo, Renee Elise Goldsberry and Jasmine Cephas-Jones.
> 
> Ages  
> Angelica- 6  
> Eliza- 5  
> Peggy-4


End file.
